WHY IT RATES: For four years running, Delta has been named the top loyalty program in the industry.—Mia Taylor, TravelPulse Senior Writer.
Delta SkyMiles has been named the top airline rewards program for four consecutive years, according to a new study from personal finance site WalletHub.
In its annual report, WalletHub studied the loyalty programs of the 10 largest U.S. airlines across 23 key metrics, including the number of daily flights, destinations served, booking blackout dates and miles expiration.
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The personal finance site created three consumer spending profiles of light, average and frequent flyers to evaluate how well each airline meets the various budgeting needs of travelers. Delta SkyMiles earned the top score, with a nearly five-point lead ahead of the runner up.
This award by WalletHub also follows Delta SkyMiles being named a Best Travel Rewards Program for 2018-2019 by U.S. News & World Report for the second year running. Among the program’s unique benefits attributed to its high ranking are:
—Miles don’t expire
—No blackout dates for Award Tickets on any Delta Air Lines flight
—Miles can be redeemed to travel to more than 1,000 cities with Delta and its partners
—Industry-leading Medallion Benefits like: Complimentary Upgrades to Delta One on all domestic flights, Rollover Medallion Qualification Miles (MQMs) and Choice Benefits for Diamond and Platinum Medallion Members
“All 80,000 Delta employees have contributed to another humbling recognition of our SkyMiles loyalty program,” said Sandeep Dube, S.V.P. – Customer Engagement & Loyalty, and CEO – Delta Vacations. “It’s one of many ways in which our valued customers have validated the industry-leading position of our loyalty program. Customers who choose to be SkyMiles Members will continue to enjoy superior benefits, and we’re proud to offer celebrated differentiators such as miles not expiring because we know how important they are to customers.”
Not only does the SkyMiles program make it easy for customers to earn miles on everyday purchases with the brands they love, like Airbnb and Lyft, but customers can also easily redeem miles on everything from attending once-in-a-lifetime events through SkyMiles Experiences to enjoying a premium drink at a Delta Sky Club.
Members can also now use their miles to purchase seat upgrades with ease through Delta.com or the Fly Delta app after buying their ticket. Each of these enhancements is part of Delta’s innovative investment as the global airline expands the value of miles and the ability to use them.
SOURCE: Delta press release
